Often, the hitch ball of a conventional hitch assembly is mounted on a tow bar, and the tow bar is slidably received in a receiver channel that is secured to the vehicle. The tow bar is releasably secured in the receiver channel when the vehicle is towing a trailer, and is removed from the channel and stored when not in use. However, for the most part, the two component parts of a conventional trailer hitch assembly are fixedly secured to either the tow vehicle or the trailer, and are not capable of being moved relative to the tow vehicle or trailer to which they are secured.
Typically when a trailer is attached to the vehicle, the trailer hitch may include a set of metal chains to secure the trailer to the vehicle. These chains often provide an effective security device, but may be a nuisance to use and a safety hazard. If the trailer becomes unattached from the trailer ball, the flexibility of the chains may result in the trailer becoming unstable and may result in the vehicle overturning or losing control. These chains may need to be replaced regularly and consequently the chains may be a liability and a nuisance to use.